Kisses From the Golden Moon
by nateulm
Summary: Two years after the events in The Guardian of the Moon. After being paired up on an assignment, Neji and Shikamaru's relationship begins to change. Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke face a problem that could end not only their relationship, but the fragile peace of the ninja world as well. Rated T for language and sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

* * *

><p>Shikamaru scowled as he stormed through the halls of the Hokage's residence.<p>

The few shinobi who were milling about in the hallways stood back to let him pass, as it was common knowledge that if one of the Nara men, especially Shikamaru, was moving at a pace faster than a crawl, it either meant that there was imminent danger – or that he was pissed.

In this case, it was the latter.

Shikamaru approached the door to the Hokage's circular office, not bothering to knock as he threw the door open and stormed inside. Neither of the men in the room reacted to his furious entrance, their heads bent towards a stack of paperwork on the desk.

His sharp ponytail slicing through the air as he advanced, Shikamaru growled, "Naruto, you troublesome bastard!"

The man standing beside the desk, dressed in the dark colours that signified he was a member of the Black Ops, straightened up stiffly. He wasn't wearing his mask, so Shikamaru didn't miss the flash of anger that flared underneath the onyx of Sasuke's eyes. Shikamaru's gaze flicked involuntarily to the twin swords sheathed over Sasuke's shoulders, both so long that the tips were visible on either side of Sasuke's hips, before he glanced back to the Uchiha's face.

Choosing to ignore the unspoken warning in Sasuke's eyes, Shikamaru yanked a crumpled paper from one of his pockets and waved it through the air like a parade flag. "What the hell is up with making _me _organize the Chunin Exams?" Shikamaru hissed, ignoring the aggressive step that Sasuke took in his direction. "You _knew _that I had plans that week. You know, the plans where I would be as far away as possible during the exams?"

Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously. "Questioning direct orders, Nara? You're crossing the line."

There were a few seconds of silence, during which Naruto kept his head bent towards the document he was scanning. Finally, he nodded to himself, and with a flourish of his wrist he signed it. And then, the Rukodaime Hokage looked up; eying Shikamaru thoughtfully as he said, "Stand down, Sasuke."

Sasuke's posture relaxed immediately. But his disapproving eyes never left Shikamaru's face as he stalked behind Naruto's desk.

Ignoring the overly protective Uchiha with a sigh of irritation, Shikamaru waved the paper again. "Seriously. Why?"

Naruto leaned back in his chair, scratching at the stubble on his chin. "I was planning on having Sakura-chan do it, but she's busy with a new batch of medical trainees. She said she wants them to be field-ready in time for the exams."

"What about Sasuke, then?" Shikamaru muttered, glaring angrily at the hovering Uchiha.

"I have other obligations as Captain of the Hokage's personal guard." Sasuke said, his silky voice a gentle hum compared to Naruto's rich tenor.

"What, babysitting Naruto?" Shikamaru snorted. "Yeah, that's a real tough job you got there, Sasuke."

"Harder than you might think." Sasuke whispered venomously.

Shikamaru blinked at the aggression in his tone. It prompted him to look around the room, blinking the frustration from his mind as he took stock of his surroundings. The window behind Naruto was missing, and the wooden frame was charred completely black.

_"An attack?" _Shikamaru wondered, eyebrows shooting towards his hairline.

"The Rukodaime is always under threat." Sasuke said, still in that low tone. He laid a hand protectively on Naruto's shoulder.

The blond, in complete contradiction to Sasuke's serious expression, flashed a wide grin. "Sometimes I let them get close. Keeps things interesting."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. _"The Rukodaime is always under threat?" _He huffed inwardly. _"Yeah, right."_

"Anyways." Shikamaru grumbled. "About these orders. I don't want them, Naruto. It's too troublesome. Find someone else. Shino, Kakashi, Hinata - anyone."

Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "I did consider giving the job to Neji."

"Yeah, fantastic, make Neji do it." Shikamaru muttered. "And when he hears that I'm the one who got him stuck with the job, he'll crack my head in two."

Naruto smiled slightly as he stood: the sunlight streaming in through the broken window haloed around his golden head, crowning him with light. His energy seemed to pulse around him like a shimmering aura, filling the room with warmth. Shikamaru was suddenly reminded of the images he had seen of western kings, adorned with golden circlets and draped in red robes. He quickly pushed the thought aside, wary as Naruto stepped around the desk.

Naruto was studying him closely; his blue eyes seeming to cut right into Shikamaru, making him feel exposed.

_"Damn Sagey-intuition-mind-reading crap." _He grumbled to himself while schooling his expression into one that was smooth and untroubled.

The Hokage came to stand before him, close enough that Shikamaru had to bend his neck to meet his gaze. Naruto's eyebrows lifted fractionally and his eyes suddenly glazed, his attention seeming to be pulled elsewhere. For a moment, they all stood in silence, and then Naruto shook his head with a slight frown.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, eyebrows meeting in concern.

"Nothing urgent." Naruto replied gently, keeping his eyes fixed on Shikamaru. "Now, Shikamaru, are you going to organize the exams for me, or should I ask Neji to do it, you know?"

Shikamaru shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his head. "He'll be really pissed." He muttered.

"_You're _really pissed." Naruto pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but," Shikamaru sighed. "When I'm pissed, I complain. When Neji's pissed…like I said, I might be in danger of getting my head cracked open."

Naruto tilted his head to the side like a curious animal, his bright eyes reflecting the sunlight. "So what do you want me to do?"

Shikamaru sighed again but didn't answer. He crossed his arms over his chest, mind racing. He almost yelped in surprise when Sasuke suddenly spoke directly behind him. Shikamaru hadn't noticed him move.

"Might I suggest," Sasuke said, "That they team up? Organize it together, to distribute the work load?"

Naruto grinned. "That's a great idea, Sasuke!"

Shikamaru opened his mouth to protest, but Naruto was already whirling away, a flurry of fiery colour as he darted over to the door and yanked it open. "You can come in now." He said to someone in the hall.

Shikamaru's eyebrows shot up as Neji stalked silently into the room. An excited looking woman followed him, her eyes flashing quickly between Naruto and Sasuke, her cheeks and alarming shade of crimson. Shikamaru had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Neji noticed his expression, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards in the faintest smile.

By then, Naruto had returned to his desk, surveying them all as he leaned against the polished wooden surface. Sasuke circled around to stand next to him, his dark eyes glinting with amusement.

"Hold on," Shikamaru hissed. "You two had already decided that Neji and I would team up on this? Why didn't you just tell me that from the beginning?"

"It was more amusing that way." Sasuke said, smirking.

Shikamaru opened his mouth to retort, but Naruto cleared his throat, smiling apologetically.

"I know this is a really annoying assignment," Naruto began, his deep voice making the air hum. "I hate making you guys do it, I really do. But this is the first time the exams have been held here since the war, and I want everything to go as smoothly as possible. I'd organize it myself, but…well, you guys are better at organizing stuff."

Naruto glanced between Neji and Shikamaru. When neither of them spoke, he inclined his head to the woman who stood behind them. Shikamaru saw her jolt in surprise when Naruto's unsettlingly potent gaze rested on her.

"This lady is a representative from the…uh…exam council?"

The woman shook herself, stepping forward to address them. "Pleased to meet you. My name is Rei Moon-Lee, and I am here as a representative of the Shinobi Examiners Committee. I will be in charge of the actual testing procedures, so you two don't need to worry about that. I just need you to organize the venues and what-not!"

Shikamaru clenched his teeth in irritation, fighting the urge to let out a loud groan.

"So that's what this is about?" Neji intoned, his voice carrying the slightest hint of irritation. "With all due respect, Hokage-sama, when I received your summons I had been expecting something a little more…"

"You mean I didn't tell you the specifics of the mission?" Naruto replied, sounding surprised.

"Not at all, sir." Neji said, pulling a piece of paper out from a hidden fold in his sleeve. With one finger, he delicately unfolded it, pale eyes darting across the page as he continued. "All it says is that I am to team up with Nara on an important assignment."

Naruto grinned. "See, I did tell you! Shikamaru, assignment, that's all you need to know!"

Neji's gaze shifted warily to Shikamaru, who sighed. Shoving his hands, and the crumpled piece of paper he still held, into his pockets. "Even if I have a partner, I still don't want to do this. It's a drag."

Sasuke scowled. "Who cares whether you _want_ to do it or not, Nara? Hyuga doesn't seem to mind. And besides, it is an _order _from your Hokage."

Shikamaru quickly glanced away. He may have been mad, but he definitely wasn't stupid. And it would be incredibly stupid to try and go toe-to-toe with Sasuke. He turned to Neji instead, ignoring the woman who stood between them as he asked, "Are you okay with this?"

Neji tilted his head slightly, long strands of hair sliding over his shoulder fluidly. "They're just orders, Nara."

"Argh!" Shikamaru rolled his shoulders, tilting his head back to glare angrily at the ceiling. "Fine then. I'll do it. But when it's over, I'm taking a vacation for real Naruto. I mean it. At least a week. Maybe two!"

Naruto's deep chuckle drew Shikamaru's eyes to the blonde's smiling face. "Two whole weeks, just you and that giant brain of yours? You wouldn't last a day, Shikamaru. But, I'm glad you've accepted the assignment. I know you two will do a good job. And please make sure to consult with Ms. Lee as often as possible, especially if I'm not around."

"Please!" The woman gushed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Call me Rei."

"Of course, Rei." Naruto replied, bowing his head. His golden hair fell around his eyes, framing them as he observed the woman.

Rei blushed crimson again before bowing deeply, attempting to hide her flustered expression.

Shikamaru smirked.

"The exams are set to take place in two months," Naruto continued, his gaze sliding between Neji and Shikamaru. "I think that will give you two plenty of time."

"Of course, Naruto-sama." Neji immediately replied, bowing.

"Sure, whatever." Shikamaru muttered. "Are we done? I have a lot of work to do."

Naruto's smile widened. "Yep, you can go. Thanks Shikamaru, Neji! And uh, Rei."

"Not at all, it's truly a pleasure to meet you, Hokage-sama! And you, Uchiha-sama!"

The woman continued to bow as she followed Shikamaru out of the room, finally bumping into Neji as he reached over her to shut the door behind them. As soon as the sound of her flustered apology had faded along with their footsteps, Naruto let out a slow breath.

"You don't think they noticed, do you?"

"No, even Neji had no idea that you're a clone." Sasuke answered softly. "Where is the original now?"

"Down by the river where I used to train." The clone Naruto said. "I'll stay here, but you can go."

"Okay." Sasuke said, making for the broken window. But then he paused, turning back to Naruto, who returned his gaze curiously.

"What?"

Sasuke reached up, his gloved fingers gently combing the hair away from Naruto's eyes. "I think you should ask Sakura to trim you hair. Or are you planning on growing it as long as Neji's?"

Naruto blushed. "I thought about it once or twice."

"No." Sasuke said. "Absolutely not."

Sasuke turned and leapt out the window, the sound of Naruto's booming laughter following him as he raced over the rooftops. His mind was already focused on the real Naruto, feverishly wondering what was so bad that his clone had gotten distracted while speaking with Shikamaru. Anyone else would have interpreted Naruto's sudden silence as a moment of consultation with the Nine-tailed fox Kurama, but Sasuke knew better. Something had happened, and Naruto had decided not to tell him about it.

Brow creasing with worry, Sasuke quickened his pace, bracing for what he would discover at the riverside.

* * *

><p>"Nara!"<p>

Shikamaru flinched at the sound of Neji's voice.

He was halfway down the steps of the Hokage's mansion, having been intent on disappearing while Neji was distracted with Rei, who had apologized more than any normal human should. His hands in his pockets, Shikamaru appeared completely relaxed as he turned towards the Hyuga, eyebrows raised.

"What's up?"

"What's up?" Neji parroted. "What's up with you arguing with the Hokage over direct orders?"

Shikamaru sighed, glancing around for spectators. Not wanting to have this discussion in front of the busiest building in the village, Shikamaru ambled down the remaining steps, setting off down the path with lazy strides.

Incredulous at being ignored, Neji followed close behind him.

"Naruto may be our friend, Nara, but he is the Hokage now and you should treat him with the same respect you showed previous Hokage." Neji scolded, catching up to Shikamaru. "He is your superior, and as such you should follow his orders without complaint!"

"I do respect Naruto, Hyuga." Shikamaru replied, voice strained. "You should know that better than anyone."

"Then perhaps you should show it." Neji bristled.

Shikamaru hummed in response. By now, they were wandering down an empty side street. Turning fluidly, Shikamaru made his way down a shadowy alley between two large houses. Neji followed close behind him, not yet finished with his lecture.

"It's utter childishness!" Neji continued, "It's a simple assignment, Nara. A time consuming one, yes, but a simple one none-the-less! Are you really so busy that you cannot-"

Shikamaru turned suddenly, making Neji jolt in surprise.

They were standing extremely close, but fueled by their mutual irritation, neither of them wanted to take a step back.

The two were almost exactly the same height, so Neji found himself staring directly into Shikamaru's eyes as the Shadow-nin whispered, "Busy? You know how fucking busy I am, Hyuga."

Slightly thrown by the aggressiveness in Shikamaru's stance and voice, Neji lowered his gaze, glaring at Shikamaru's mouth as he retorted, "As we all are, Nara. None of the rest of us complain, do we?"

"No, of course not, the rest of you are perfect." Shikamaru hissed, leaning even closer to Neji. "Say whatever the hell you want about me, Hyuga. Tell me that I'm a lazy piece of shit; that I'm a terrible ninja. I couldn't care less. But don't you _ever _tell me that I don't respect Naruto. You have no fucking idea what you're talking about."

Alarmed by Shikamaru's ferocity, Neji finally stepped back. For the first time, he observed the strategist carefully. Shikamaru Nara had always been slender, but he seemed thinner than usual. The circles under his eyes had darkened from blue to a deep, blackish-purple. And his keen, angry eyes were bloodshot under the dark fan of his eyelashes.

Shikamaru seemed to stiffen under Neji's scrutiny. The shadows in the alley appeared to darken and gather around him like a cloak, his entire body rigid with tension and anger. He folded his arms, turning his face away as he muttered, "Stop looking at me like that, Hyuga."

Neji let out a controlled breath through his nose, struggling to stifle his frustration. "Fine," He said, "I will refrain from making comments about your loyalty to the Hokage. But I outrank you, Nara, so I can't stand by and let you speak to Naruto in such a way."

Shikamaru glanced at Neji from the corner of his eye. For a second, his mind seemed to be furiously working, and his gaze filled with such dark intensity that Neji's pulse began to race.

But then the lazy genius yawned, his hand dragging across his tired, intelligent eyes. When he returned his gaze to Neji, his eyes were once again perfectly unreadable.

"This is a drag." Shikamaru said. "Think you can finish lecturing me later? I want to go take a nap."

Blinking in confusion, Neji could only nod.

"Thanks, Hyuga-sensei." Shikamaru drawled mockingly, turning on his heel as he stalked off down the alley toward the Nara forest. For a moment, the shadows seemed to cling to his retreating frame. But then they released him, puffing dreamily like clouds before sinking back down and becoming dormant.

Neji stared after Shikamaru until he vanished in the darkness under the giant trees. And then, with the faintest smile, Neji turned to go back the way they had come. As he stepped back out into the light, Neji imagined that he could faintly hear a familiar, sleepy voice drifting behind him.

"_Troublesome Hyuga."_

* * *

><p><em>AN: HELLO everyone! It's sequel time! Finally!_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

* * *

><p>Dappled sunlight danced across Naruto's clenched eyelids, burning inverted red patterns into his eyes. Grimacing, he draped one muscular arm over his face, blocking out the offending light. The summer breeze brushed along his skin like phantom fingers, making him shiver despite the warm sun.<p>

Shaking his head slightly, Naruto forced himself to refocus. For the past hour, he had been monitoring the forests around Konoha through the network of natural chakra that flowed through all living things. As his meditation improved, the range of his awareness grew larger. The Sage was pleased to say that he could keep an eye on things that happened more than half way to the Sand Village.

In order to observe everything while meditating, Naruto had to completely empty his mind. He had to become completely void of thought and emotion, and allow the natural chakra to flow through him. It usually started as a gentle, trickling stream of images. But before long, Naruto felt as if his consciousness was spread like a massive umbrella over the land. It was an excellent way to keep an eye out for danger, but it was extremely tiring.

Not to mention that, upon shutting off the flow of chakra and returning to his own, quiet consciousness, it always took a few uncomfortable minutes for Naruto to regain his bearings.

He steeled himself in preparation to do just that. Fists clenching, he slowly pulled back the tangled threads of his conscious mind, images flashing through his brain in vivid colour. Finally, like the snapping of a rubber band, Naruto was thrown back into his own skull. Resisting the urge to vomit at the sensation of being once again trapped in flesh, Naruto focused on the chakra centre in his lower abdomen.

The steady pulse of warm power reassured him. Within Naruto's chakra network, three different chakra's existed in perfect harmony. As a result, his chakra tended to be orange or gold in colour when manifested, unlike the varying shades of blue that was normal to other shinobi.

Naruto allowed his focus to stray over the rest of his body: the demon fox curled up beneath the sealing mark on his stomach, the slow beating of his heart, the grass tickling his neck.

The breeze rolled over him again, carrying with it a familiar presence.

Naruto immediately rolled onto his side, resting his golden head on his hand as he watched Sasuke come striding out of the forest.

Naruto felt his heart swelling at the sight of his partner. Sasuke was a vision of darkness against the bright green backdrop of leaves, like a drop of the night sky had fallen down amongst the trees. His long hair way pulled back into a low ponytail, secured at the base of his neck by a cord as red as ox's blood. The inky black strands seemed weightless as they danced in the breeze, even though they were long enough now to hang by Sasuke's elbows. Naruto wondered idly how Sasuke's hair didn't get tangled in the long, twin swords sheathed at his back.

Sasuke was wearing his Black Ops uniform, which he always kept meticulously clean. The dark uniform suited him nicely, clinging to his lithe, muscular frame. In stark contrast, Sasuke's skin was porcelain-pale. This made his eyes – sometimes black, sometimes crimson – seem even deeper in his lovely face.

The slightest flush of colour clung to Sasuke's cheeks as he approached the lounging blond who was so openly observing him.

"You're staring, dobe."

Naruto grinned, a boyish flash of bright teeth. "It's your fault for looking so good."

"Is that so." Sasuke grumbled, trying his best to sound annoyed.

But when he sat down beside the blond, Sasuke immediately bent down to kiss him. After nearly four years living together as lovers, it was an ingrained habit. And yet, Naruto still hummed with appreciation against Sasuke's lips. And Sasuke, even though he tried his best to ignore them, still felt his stomach erupt with butterflies in response.

After a lingering moment, Sasuke pulled away. Naruto rolled onto his back as Sasuke braced his hand beside Naruto's head, so that he was looming over him, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"There's grass in your hair." Sasuke said as he reached over with his other hand, gently pulling the greenery free from the golden locks that had captured them.

"Maybe I wanted it there." Naruto replied teasingly.

"Hm," Sasuke hummed absently, focused on extracting the blades of grass. "It does give you an appealingly tousled look. Like you've been rolling around in the grass instead of performing your duties as Hokage."

When Naruto was silent, Sasuke glanced down at him. Naruto looked, as always, infuriatingly handsome. Stubble clung to his proud jawline, almost concealing the scars on his face that resembled whiskers. A peaceful smile played across his lips, making his cheeks dimple. In the bright light, his blue eyes seemed to gleam, the flecks of gold hidden within them shimmering like coins at the bottom of a tropical sea.

Sasuke sighed. "What have you been doing out here all day?"

Naruto tilted his head, steady gaze unfaltering as he took in every detail of Sasuke's face. "Meditating, watching. You know."

"Oh?" Sasuke ran his fingers gently over Naruto's eyebrows, smoothing the coarse hairs. "See anything interesting?"

"Other than the assassin that tried to take out you and my clone, nothing."

Sasuke's fingers wandered down the straight ridge of Naruto's nose. "I wish you had told me about that. I'm the Captain of your personal guard. That means I'm supposed to protect you from things like assassins."

Naruto smiled, shrugging slightly. "But then you would have gotten stressed out. The guy wasn't even that strong."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Compared to you, nobody it strong."

"Not true!" Naruto yelped. "There are loads of really amazing ninja! Like you!"

"Then I wish you would let me protect you." Sasuke softly urged, his wandering digits now stroking along Naruto's jawline. "I feel like I'm holding an empty title."

"You do protect me though, Sasuke."

"From what?"

"Loneliness." Naruto mournfully replied. He then added thoughtfully, "And from Shikamaru. How was he? Was he pissed?"

Sasuke smiled. "Extremely. And Hyuga didn't seem too pleased either. Why the hell did you insist on pairing them up for that assignment, Naruto? You know they've never gotten along."

The skin around Naruto's eyes tightened as he composed his thoughts. The green fabric of his Jounin vest rustled as he sat up, Sasuke straightening to let him rise. Absently, Naruto rerolled the sleeves of his black undershirt, the fabric stretched tight over his muscular forearms.

"I guess that's why I made them team up." Naruto finally said. "People have always grouped them together because they're both geniuses, but nobody seems to realize that they're really different people. I guess I was just hoping that, if they were forced to spend some time together, they'd be able to get over their differences and become friends."

Sasuke couldn't help but laugh. "You're such an idiot."

"Thanks."

The Jinchuuriki reached out, gently taking Sasuke's gloved hand in his own, roughly calloused one. He ran his thumb over Sasuke's palm, keeping his eyes down as he said, "Do I really make you feel like you're holding an empty title?"

Sasuke squeezed Naruto's warm fingers. "Of course not. It's an honour to be able to spend every day by your side. Just…let me be the one to take out the bad guy every now and then."

Naruto grinned. "I'll let you beat them all up, if you want."

"How noble." Sasuke teased.

Still smiling, Naruto leaned in, using his free hand to brush the loose strands of hair away from Sasuke's face before he kissed him. Naruto's keen nose took in his partner's familiar scent of soap, incense and weapon oil. But it was the lingering remains of his own musky scent that had Naruto's animal instincts humming with pleasure.

Naruto pulled his lips away, tilting Sasuke's face up so that their eyes were level. "I love you." Naruto murmured, his voice like smoke in the air between them.

Sasuke's spine tingled, a warm blush reaching his cheeks. In one swift motion, he pulled away from Naruto and stood, brushing grass off his pants. And then, he smiled down at Naruto, his tone playful as he said; "I think your clone can take care of things at the office today. So for now, how about you take me home, idiot-blonde?"

Whooping loudly, Naruto jumped to his feet, scooping up his red cloak in the process. And then the two were racing for home, but they only made it as far as the tree line before stopping to kiss frantically, their hands grasping tightly.

His back against a tree, Sasuke's entire body trembled as Naruto left a trail of kisses on his neck. He could feel Naruto's body, so solid and strong, pressing firmly against his more agile frame. Sasuke grit his teeth, trying to suppress a moan.

"Fuck it," Naruto growled. "We're teleporting home. I want you _now._"

In response, Sasuke kissed him again, biting his bottom lip roughly.

And then, without warning, chakra flames erupted across Naruto's skin. At first, Sasuke ignored them, since it wasn't uncommon for Naruto's golden flames to appear when the Sage was feeling especially passionate. But then the flames leapt across the space between them, and Sasuke immediately wriggled away with a cry of pain.

With wide eyes, the two ninja stared at the flames surrounding Naruto. They weren't golden at all, but red – spluttering and unstable. Even as Sasuke watched, he could see the damaging fox-flames burning Naruto's skin.

"Naruto, what-"

"It's not me!" Naruto exclaimed. "I can't-"

Whatever the blonde said next was drowned out by a sudden, violent roar of flame that rose up around Naruto in a column of crimson. From within the depths of the column Naruto howled once in pain, before he whirled on the spot and vanished, leaving Sasuke blinking in confusion in a clearing seared black and smoldering.

After a long moment of silence, Sasuke blinked owlishly before asking aloud, "Wait. What the hell just happened?"

When no response came from the empty clearing, Sasuke groaned in frustration. Crushing a burning leaf under his foot, he fished his radio out of his weapons pouch. Cramming it into his ear, he fiddled with the frequency dials until a smooth voice came through from the other end.

"Uchiha." Neji said curtly. "Is something wrong?"

"I need you to come to my location as quickly as possible, Hyuga." Sasuke snapped, worry beginning to creep in amongst his confusion and frustration.

After a moment of silence, Neji replied. "I see you. I'm coming now."

"Good." Sasuke said. He glanced around at the blackened trees, mind racing. He almost jumped when Neji spoke again, his voice crackling over the radio.

"What…what on earth happened?" He asked, voice thick with concern. "It looks like a chakra bomb went off."

"One kind of did."

"Oh?" Neji encouraged.

"Yeah," Sasuke adjusted the radio in his ear. "A Naruto bomb."

"I don't understand."

"Me neither." Sasuke admitted. "But I'll explain it to you as best I can when you get here."

"I'll be there in a moment." Neji replied.

And sure enough, within seconds Neji landed silently amongst the trees. He had changed out of his white robes and into his Black Ops uniform, the veins around his eyes bulging as he examined the smoking clearing.

"Uchiha," Neji said, his voice low and distracted. "There are traces of the Kyuubi's chakra everywhere."

Sasuke nodded, trying to stay calm. His worry grew with every passing second, but he knew Neji needed an explanation. Not that Sasuke had a very good one – he was just as confused as Neji in that moment.

"The Naruto you spoke to earlier today was a clone." Sasuke began, "The real Naruto was down by the river meditating and keeping an eye on things outside the village. He seemed perfectly normal when I went to collect him. But then, as we were making our way home, he just started randomly emitting chakra flames. And not his gold Jinchuuriki chakra ones; they were pure foxfire. They even burned me a little."

Neji deactivated his dojutsu, taking a step closer to Sasuke to examine the burns. The flames had managed to burn through his long gloves in several places. The skin beneath was an angry red colour, and was already starting to blister slightly.

"They look painful," Neji remarked. "But I suspect Sakura could heal them in no time."

"Heal them?" Sasuke snorted. "She'll punch me and tell me to toughen up. I'm not worried about my injuries. Hyuga, I need you to find Naruto as quickly as possible. Locating him, and ensuring his safety, are my main priorities right now."

"Of course," Neji said, preparing to reactivate his dojutsu. But then he paused, glancing at Sasuke with his curious, milky eyes. "Why did you summon me, instead of contacting your squad?"

Sasuke let out an exasperated sigh. "Listen, Neji. If Naruto is malfunctioning, the less people to know, the better. Konoha is still weak after the war. The majority of our shinobi are Genin. If word got out that our fearless protector was out of commission…well, let's just say word better not get out. Understand?"

"I understand."

Without another word, Neji activated his eye technique. The veins on his temples bulged out alarmingly, his pale eyes suddenly sharpening and becoming more defined. Sasuke watched impatiently as Neji quickly scanned the surrounding area. After a tense moment, the Hyuga shook his head.

"He must be out of my range. Do you have any idea which way he went?"

Sasuke frowned. "No, he just kind of vanished. You know how he likes to do that."

One side of Neji's mouth quirked upwards in a smile. "It seems to be a habit of his, yes. I can't imagine that he went far, though. Why can't I see him?"

"If you can't see him, and I can't sense him," Sasuke said, "It's because he's gone full Sage Mode and erased his chakra. In which case, I think I know where to look for him."

"Where's that?" Neji asked, slightly annoyed that he couldn't find his own Hokage.

"The Nara Forest."

* * *

><p>With a satisfied sigh, Shikamaru lay back in the grass.<p>

After almost an hour of aimless wandering through the trees, he had finally managed to calm down from his argument with Neji. Coincidentally, peace had found him at the same moment he discovered the perfect spot for napping. And so he lay on a grassy hillock, bathed in warm afternoon sunlight as he watched the lazily drifting clouds.

His eyelids felt impossibly heavy, so Shikamaru allowed them to drift shut. But as soon as he did so, the memory of Neji's angry face flashed through his mind, causing his eyes to flash open again. Frowning, Shikamaru stared up at the sky, new irritation taking root in his mind.

"Troublesome Hyuga."

It was bad enough that he had gotten stuck organizing the Chunin Exams. But to be paired up with Neji? Shikamaru grabbed a fistful of grass, angrily yanking it out of the soil. It squeaked through his fingers, and the annoying sound only made him angrier.

He could imagine why Naruto had decided to make them team up – the moronic blonde wanted everyone to be friends. But Shikamaru was convinced that there was no way in seven hells that he and Neji Hyuga, Lord of the Stick-in-the-ass clan, could ever get along. Even though Neji had a mind that was almost comparable with Shikamaru's, the two hadn't gotten along since they were children. Neji was so serious, so proud, so driven: traits that Shikamaru found, at best, tiring and bothersome.

"And his eyes piss me off." Shikamaru muttered to himself, throwing the blades of grass away. "And his face."

"You know, for a genius, you say some pretty dumb things."

Shikamaru bolted upright so quickly; he thought he could feel something in his abdomen tear. Standing directly before him, bathed in golden light, was Naruto. His yellow Sage eyes examined Shikamaru thoughtfully, a smile on his lips.

"Tch!" Shikamaru grumbled irritably as he lay back down. "What's dumb is you trying to make Neji and I play friends. Not everyone can get along, you know."

Shikamaru didn't react as Naruto sat down beside him, heat radiating from him in waves. "Neji isn't a bad guy, Shikamaru. He's changed a lot since we were kids."

"Maybe." Shikamaru grumbled. "But he's still got a giant stick up his ass."

Naruto looked down at him, reading Shikamaru's expression. His voice was low and serious as he said, "That might be true, Shikamaru, but I think Neji is willing to try and get along with you. You're the only one who seems to be clinging on to the past."

"The past?" Shikamaru's eyes flew open, "Naruto, he literally told me off after we left your office."

Naruto laughed. "I'm sure he did. Sasuke lectures me all the time, you know? But it's because he cares, man. Same with Neji – he just wants to make you a better person."

"It's annoying." Shikamaru said flatly.

"Well, you'd better learn to ignore it then." Naruto replied. "Because I'm not changing my orders."

"What a drag."

"Yup." Naruto stood up, looking around into the trees. "Well, I'd better get going. When Sasuke and Neji show up, tell them I'm off meditating or something."

"Sure." Shikamaru said, letting his eyes drift shut once more.

Complete silence fell over the clearing. Even though Shikamaru knew that Naruto had vanished soundlessly, he remained tensed with irritation. After only a few minutes of peace, the genius Nara heard two pairs of feet landing on the side of his small hill.

"Can't a guy catch a nap around here?" Shikamaru groaned. "Between you two and the damn Rukodaime, it's amazing that I haven't died from exhaustion."

"Grow up, Nara." Neji barked.

"Has Naruto been here?" Sasuke asked eagerly.

"Yep." Shikamaru said, his voice flat. "The troublesome bastard showed up just long enough to lecture me before wandering off again. I seriously can't catch a break today."

"Did he say anything?" Sasuke urged. "Did he seem okay?"

"He was in annoying, all-knowing Sage mode. Looked a little burnt though." Shikamaru said. "And he said to tell you two that he was off meditating or something."

When Neji and Sasuke sighed, Shikamaru cracked open one tired eye.

"Why do you two want him, anyway? Did he run away from his paperwork again?"

Neji glanced at Sasuke warily before answering. "Something like that, yes. Now if you'll excuse us, Nara, we need to go and find him."

"Suit yourself." Shikamaru said tensely. "But believe me, if he doesn't want you to find him, you won't find him."

Sasuke ignored him, running around the hill and back down into the dense trees. Neji hesitated to follow him, staring at the chunk of torn earth beside Shikamaru's hand. Shikamaru continued to openly examine him, his dark eyes unreadable.

"I intend to cooperate with you on our assignment, Nara." Neji finally said. "I trust that you won't make it unnecessarily difficult."

"I spend my entire life trying to avoid unnecessary difficulty, Hyuga."

For a moment, it almost seemed like Neji was going to laugh. But then he turned, running after Sasuke with his long hair streaming behind him. Shikamaru watched him until he was out of sight, his dark Anbu uniform quickly blending with the deep shadows under the trees.

But Neji's voice seemed to linger in Shikamaru's ears long after he was gone. Unable to rest, Shikamaru rolled to his feet. He glanced once more in the direction Neji had gone, and then turned on his heel and began walking slowly in the opposite direction. But no matter how many steps he took, Shikamaru couldn't seem to leave the sound of Neji's voice behind.

"Unnecessarily difficult." Shikamaru muttered, laughing bitterly. "Yeah, right."

Without a sound, Shikamaru stepped off the path and melded into the shadows below the trees, for the moment leaving the light – and his worries – behind.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Hey guys! I hope the avid readers of the Guardian have found their way over here! Thank you all for waiting so patiently for this sequel. I'll try my best to keep the updates regular and frequent! Thanks for all your favourites and reviews. _

_-nateulm_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

* * *

><p>"I'm telling you, Naruto, I had nothing to do with it!" Kurama growled.<p>

The giant fox's tails swished angrily through the air as he stood nose-to-nose with Naruto. His crimson fur bristled in defiance as he stared down his Jinchuuriki host. Naruto returned Kurama's stare unwaveringly, his arms crossed firmly over his broad chest.

Although Naruto did not truly believe that Kurama had intentionally caused the violent explosion of chakra, he was desperate to find answers. What had caused it? Naruto prided his ability to control his vast pools of power, to ensure that there was always balance inside him. The thought of not being able to maintain that control concerned him deeply.

Naruto knew better than anyone else how terrible his power was. He knew the destruction he could cause, the pain and fear he could bring.

His face was set, stern as marble as he glared at the fox demon. But when Naruto noticed darkness beginning to creep along the edges of his inner-world, he shook himself, forcing himself to release the tension in his shoulders. The shadows, as if in direct response, stopped their slow forward creep – but did not disappear entirely.

Finally, the blonde sighed. "Okay, I believe you, you know?"

"Good." Kurama barked, his flattened ears lifting slightly as he relaxed. "What the hell is going on, Naruto?"

"I wish I knew."

Kurama growled low in his chest, sitting back on his haunches. He stared down at the Jinchuuriki with his gleaming red eyes, saying; "All of a sudden, I felt my chakra being pulled out of my body. At first, I thought you were doing it on purpose. But then I realized that the reserve of our combined chakra was completely full, so I tried to stop the chakra flow right away."

Naruto's frown deepened. "I wasn't even using any chakra when it happened."

Kurama nodded slowly. "And this isn't the first time, either."

"No." Naruto turned and began pacing slowly in the silence of his inner-world. "But last time, it was just a sudden explosion of my normal chakra. This time it was yours? Argh, Kurama! I have no idea what the hell is going on, you know?"

"Me neither, kid." Kurama huffed. After a moment of thought, he added, "But it might help to stay out of your head for a while. Or rather, it might help to stay _in _your head for a while. Take a break from meditating, Naruto. Just use your own chakra for a while."

"But I can't!" Naruto protested, the speed of his pace quickening as he gestured angrily towards his stomach. "_My_ chakra is _our_ chakra now. I can't access one without the other – we're too closely bound."

"Fine," the fox growled. "But you need to ease up on the meditating. Maybe spreading yourself out like that is too much of a shock on your chakra system to be doing it every day, several times a day."

"Maybe," Naruto pensively replied, "But if I don't keep watch-"

"Naruto!" Kurama boomed. "That's what your shinobi are for! They keep watch so you can focus on your paperwork."

Naruto groaned, rolling his tense shoulders. Above them, a barely discernable shimmer of gold flashed momentarily. Kurama didn't miss it, his keen eyes narrowing suspiciously. But he remained silent, watching the air around Naruto like a cat watching a mouse hole.

"I should get back." Naruto finally said, rubbing his head guiltily. "Sasuke's probably freaking out."

"You're going to be in trouble." Kurama unhelpfully agreed.

"And he _totally _knew that something was up earlier. I'd made the grass grow back around me, after that first chakra explosion down by the river," Naruto mutter, obviously sulking. "But he definitely noticed that it was new grass. The fact that he didn't ask me about it makes me nervous."

Kurama sneered, flashing his pointed fangs. "Maybe he just got distracted by how _pretty _you are."

"How do I even begin to explain this to him?" Naruto whined, choosing to ignore Kurama's jibe.

"There's nothing to explain." The fox sighed as he lay down, staring at Naruto with one enormous eye. "We don't even know what's happening yet, so don't confuse matters by giving him a lame explanation. Just say – sorry, I can't seem to stop blowing myself up with chakra lately - and be done with it."

For a moment, Naruto stared at the fox blankly. And then his entire frame withered dramatically, his arms swinging as he leaned forward, mouth turned sharply downward.

"I am so dead." He whined.

"Yup." Kurama sounded almost gleeful. "Now run along home to Sasuke, kid."

With a deep sigh, Naruto opened his eyes.

He was perched high in the branches of an ancient spruce tree, the bark beginning to grow up around his legs as it reacted to his spiritual Sage energy. In order to conceal himself, Naruto had tapped into pure natural chakra, allowing it to flow through him as if he was the heart in a giant circulatory system.

The bark crunched loudly as Naruto suddenly stood, sticking his head through the needles to look up at the sky. Night had fallen as he sat there meditating, making sure that his chakra didn't violently flare up again. But his chakra network had been completely normal for several hours. At least for now, it seemed like whatever anomaly had cause the explosion of chakra was gone.

And yet, Naruto continued to stand there, staring up at the silent vastness of the sky. His eyes glazed, becoming unfocused as he watched the coldly blinking stars. They seemed so far away, so silent and lonely. Naruto suddenly felt a pang in his heart, a dull sensation of deep sadness. He dragged his eyes away from the heavens, focusing on the branches below him as he quickly jumped down to the forest floor.

By the time he glanced back up at the sky, the feeling was gone.

It was replaced by a feeling of dread that hung over Naruto's head like a raincloud. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Naruto began to walk slowly towards home – and the wrath of Sasuke.

* * *

><p>Shikamaru was dreaming.<p>

His clenched eyelids seemed to shiver as the orbs beneath them moved. A thick line of tension creased the skin between his arching eyebrows, and a grimace clung to his lips.

Even in sleep, Shikamaru couldn't escape from his mind.

Neji blinked slowly as he deactivated his Byakugan, silently debating with himself. He stood on the low porch at the back of the Nara residence, staring at the sliding door that led into Shikamaru's room. Any other time, he would have barged into Shikamaru's room to wake him without pause. But after their argument today, Neji suddenly felt uncomfortable with the idea. It was as if crossing that threshold would thrust him into enemy territory.

Neji sighed, turning silently away from the sleeping ninja's door. He wondered idly where Shikamaru's parents had gone, as he had not seen them in the house when he quickly scanned it with his Byakugan. As he reached the edge of the porch, Neji glanced up at the clear night sky.

The moon was a sliver of silver, allowing the stars around it to shine vividly against the inky black sky. Neji stepped off the porch, his long hair swinging with the motion of his walk as he made his way to the silent fishpond that occupied the centre of Shikamaru's mothers well-tended garden.

Neji looked down at the surface of the water, the reflected stars dancing as the fish disturbed the surface of the water.

The sweet scent of some medicinal herb drifted towards Neji, and he inhaled the smell deeply. Neji enjoyed the Nara District. It was always silent and calm here, with nature melding seamlessly with the welcoming homes. It was so different from the grand Hyuga residences, which always felt so coldly sterile and unfriendly.

With a miserable twist of his lips, Neji realized that he felt more at home standing in Shikamaru's dark garden than his did in his own bedroom back at the Hyuga residence.

Sighing deeply, Neji whispered, "I should go."

He turned, meaning to head back towards the Nara Forest. But then he froze, his spine stiffening as a foreign chakra wrapped around him and restricted his movement.

"Shadow Possession: complete." Shikamaru's lazy drawl drifted through the silent garden.

Neji held his breath. _"This cannot be happening."_

He steeled his expression into a cold, icy mask as he felt himself being forced to turn towards the Nara genius.

Shikamaru was leaning against the doorframe that led into his bedroom, which was a solid mass of darkness behind him. Even from a distance he looked utterly exhausted, but Neji could feel his sharp, intelligent eyes raking over him like razor wire. After a long moment, Shikamaru pushed off the doorframe and meandered slowly to the edge of the porch. Neji grit his teeth as he was forced to mimic the motion.

"So," Shikamaru began monotonously. "Any particular reason why you're lurking in my garden? Please tell me you aren't here to yell at me some more."

Neji scowled. "Why on earth would I come to your home in the middle of the night just to argue with you over something that happened hours ago?"

"You tell me." Shikamaru replied, eyes deceptively blank as he studied Neji. "You might have come to crack my skull open as payback for getting you involved in this Chunin Exam bullshit."

"Why on earth would I do that?" Neji asked, blinking in surprise.

Shikamaru smirked, infuriatingly calm and unreadable as he replied, "You're not exactly innocent when it comes to violent outbursts, Hyuga."

Neji's eyes narrowed as he began to fight against the chakra that was binding him. "Release me at once, Nara, or I shall do as you wish and knock you senseless."

Something dark flashed in Shikamaru's brown eyes. The skin around them tightened as he whispered, "At this point, Neji, I don't think I would stop you."

Stunned into stillness at those words, it took Neji a while to realize that the shadows that had been binding him were gone. He took a few deep breaths, watching silently as the exhausted Shikamaru sat down on the edge of the porch. He moved slowly, as if every movement pained him.

"Are you-" Neji began, before cutting himself off.

Shikamaru glanced up through his eyelashes, gaze as dark as the shadows that surrounded them as he snorted. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, my humor gets a little dark when I'm tired."

As if to illustrate his point, Shikamaru yawned widely. He leaned against one of the pillars that supported the porch overhang, eyes lidded as he watched the reflections on the pond.

Neji stood watching him in silent fascination.

Having just risen from bed to capture the intruder in his garden, Shikamaru's hair was a mess around his angular face. Half of it was pulled up, away from his forehead, but the rest hung around his neck in a smooth sheet that appeared black in the light. His features, although pulled tight by tiredness, were still graceful and appealing. But there was a sharpness about him, a jaded and jagged aura that alluded to his extraordinary intelligence.

He wore nothing but a torn old pair of track pants, hanging low on his hips. His feet were bare, and Neji watched for a moment as Shikamaru picked at the cool grass with his toes. But then his eyes strayed back up to Shikamaru's bare torso. He was surprised by how many scars disrupted the smooth fabric of Shikamaru's skin.

Neji never thought about Shikamaru getting hurt. He was too smart, too cool and reserved to risk injury. Any damage he took in a fight was calmly planned and calculated to reach a desired end, like sacrificing a pawn on a shogi board in order to reach the king. And yet, there before Neji's eyes was a patchwork of scars, each one deeper and larger than the last. Many were rough and marked by smaller lines, which indicated hastily sewn stitches applied in the field.

Neji's eyebrows pulled together as he felt a strange pinching in his throat. The thought of Shikamaru being hurt seemed…wrong somehow.

After a moment, Neji realized that he was staring, and shook his head quickly to clear it. Of all Shikamaru's faults, one thing about him had always amazed Neji. And that was his ability to fall asleep anywhere, under any conditions, no matter how much chaos surrounded him – and yet, he would immediately awaken to the slightest rustling of a bush, or the creaking of a floorboard.

"So, what are you doing here, Neji?" Shikamaru mumbled, his eyes still lowered. "Just stopped by to feed the fish?"

"No, actually." Neji said curtly, "I am here to discuss the exams."

"What a drag." Shikamaru grumbled, his eyelids shutting completely. He looked like he was about to fall asleep, right there on the porch. "Can't we talk about this tomorrow? Preferably in the afternoon."

Neji scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Honestly. How can you be so lethargic all the time?"

Without opening his eyes, Shikamaru pointed at his head. "You try lugging this thing around for twenty-one years, Hyuga, and then talk to me about lethargy. I think Naruto's got the right idea, you know, checking out from his head to meditate all the time. It's probably the only thing that's kept him sane."

Neji had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "In that case, I'll tell you what I came to tell you so that you can go back to sleep."

Shikamaru smiled faintly, his eyes still firmly closed. "Shoot."

Neji inhaled deeply, activating his dojutsu to quickly scan the area. When he didn't detect anyone, he deactivated the Byakugan and took several steps toward Shikamaru. "A few days ago," Neji whispered. "I was summoned to Naruto-sama's office to discuss a mission. He told me that a woman from the examiners council was coming to the village to assist in the organization process. My orders were to meet her at a teahouse along the main road and escort her back to the village, where I would serve as her guide."

"Why you?" Shikamaru asked, finally opening his eyes. "That's a Genin level mission."

"That's exactly what I said," Neji agreed. "In explanation, Naruto-sama informed me that Moon-Lee is not who she appears to be. When the exam council sent Moon-Lee's personnel file, Sasuke noticed gaps in her background information. And then, when he was presented with an image of her, he recognized her immediately."

Neji glanced around again before stepping even closer to Shikamaru, who was listening with rapture, his dark eyes sharply focused.

"She used to be an Akatsuki supplier." Neji said as softly as he could. "According to Sasuke, she dealt with both Akatsuki and Orochimaru, and was an avid supporter of both. On top of that, she also happens to be a high-ranking Jounin. Even Sasuke said that she was strong."

Shikamaru's expression was grim. Any mention of the Akatsuki caused a dull pain to flare up in his stomach: a twisting memory of loss.

"What did she supply them with?"

"Weapons, mostly." Neji replied. "But she was basically an errand-runner. She'd get them anything they needed."

"Weird," Shikamaru muttered, leaning his head against the pillar once more. "She seemed so…normal. Nice even."

"She must be a very good actress."

"Hm," Shikamaru hummed thoughtfully. "So what, we're just supposed to plan the exams like nothing's wrong while keeping an eye on her?"

"Basically, yes."

"What a drag." Shikamaru moaned. "That's going to make this even more annoying."

"Indeed." Neji agreed. "But I have my squad to help us watch her. Hinata has also offered to help, and I agreed. The more eyes we have on her, the better."

"Jeez," Shikamaru grumbled, his eyelids drooping. "What the hell is Naruto doing, letting some crazy woman hang around in the village?"

Neji was silent for a moment. "I did ask him, but he never gave me a straightforward answer. But I suspect he wants to have her here, where he can keep a close eye on her."

"Either that, or he's just curious about her." Shikamaru snorted. "That wouldn't surprise me. Or, knowing him, he's probably hoping that being around two super guys like us will make her see the error in her ways."

A flicker of a smile touched Neji's lips. "I won't say that's not a possibility."

Shikamaru exhaled loudly. "Well, fuck, this entire mission just got a lot more troublesome. I mean, seriously, a prominent Akatsuki supporter right here in the village? I don't like it, Neji."

"Nor do I, but this is the way thing are." Neji sighed. "No doubt Naruto-sama has some elaborate plan that he has yet to inform us about."

Shikamaru suddenly sat upright, his tired eyes snapping to Neji's as he said in a low voice, "Hey, do you think she might have had something to do with the attack on Naruto earlier today?"

Neji frowned slightly. "I suppose it's possible. But what would she hope to achieve by doing such a thing? She seemed genuinely excited to meet Naruto-sama. And Sasuke."

"Maybe she's just really into scary-powerful dudes." Shikamaru offered.

Neji smiled. "Maybe. Naruto-sama and Sasuke definitely both fall into the category of _'scary-powerful dudes'._"

"So that's it then, mystery solved." Shikamaru drawled, waving his fingers in mock celebration. "She's not a baddie, she just has a weird fetish. Case closed."

"If only it was that easy." Neji said, resisting the urge to laugh. "I suspect she has other plans in coming here."

Shikamaru was silent for a moment, apparently lost in thought. Then he said, "Well, no matter what happens, it's up to us to stop her. It's troublesome, but I don't want to get anyone else involved in this shit."

"Agreed."

"Good." Shikamaru said as he stood, joints cracking as he stretched. "Anyways, if that's all the shocking news you have, then I think I'll head back to bed."

"That's everything." Neji said, watching as Shikamaru slowly tottered across the porch towards his bedroom. After a moment of hesitation, he called out, "Good night, Shikamaru."

With one hand on the doorframe, Shikamaru glanced over his shoulder. The night seemed to cling to him, contouring his already angular face with dark, mysterious shadows. He momentarily observed Neji, his shadowy eyes unreadable. And then he cracked a tired smile, voice drifting like smoke as he replied.

"G'night, Neji."

And then he stepped over the threshold, swallowed up by the darkness even before he slid the door shut behind him.

Neji turned away with a pang of guilt. He knew that, after what he had told Shikamaru, there was no way that the Nara would be getting any more sleep tonight.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Thanks for reading! The lack of answers in this chapter might be a little frustrating, but be patient! I have high hopes for this sequel. _


End file.
